Transplanter



Oct. 24, 1944. D. R. PREECE TRANSPLAN'IER v Filed Oct. 18, 1945 Patented Oct. 24, 1944 TRANSPLANTER David Rupert Preece, Tilney, Saskatchewan, Canada Application October 18, 1943, Serial No. 506,669 In Canada December 30, 1942 Claims. (o1. 294-4011) My invention relates to transplanters, an object of the invention being to provide a device of the character herewithin described by means of which plants may conveniently be transplanted in a minimum of time and without damage to the roots thereof. 1

A further object oi my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is conspicuously simple in its construction, and can therefore be manufactured cheaply.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which may be adjusted as to size according to the size of the plants to be transplanted.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which will give long service and cannot readily become out of order.

With the above more important objects in view and such other minor objects as may appear as the specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

The figure is a side elevation, partly in section showing my novel transplanter.

My invention consists of or shelf I, the parts thereof being designated 2 and 3, and being of rounded configuration when seen in plan, but somewhat flattened where the two parts overlap to provide for adjustment about the diametrically opposite points 4 for limited pivotal movement is designed to take place as hereinafter more fully described.

The container is open at both ends, the surrounding edge 5 of the upper end being reinforced as at 6 and being provided at diametrically opposite pcints with the handles 1, by means of which the container may be pressed into the ground, the soil yielding before the comparatively sharp and more or less circular bottom edge 8.

A yoke 9 spans the container, the arms I0 thereof being secured pivotally to the diametrically opposite points 4 by means of which the two parts 2 and 3 of the container l are pivotally united, the centre point of the yoke being provided with an aperture H to receive a rod l2 which constitutes the handle by means of which my transplanter is bodily lifted.

The handle is provided with any suitable hand grip such as the hand grip l3, and with a collar i l to limit its upward travel as clearly illustrated. The lower end of the rod is united centrally with another yoke enumerated l5, lying a two-part containerin a vertical plane at right angles to the vertical plane of the yoke 9. l

The arms I6 are secured at the lower ends thereof to diametrically opposite points upon my ejector 11, this member taking the form of a ring capable of movement vertically, while remaining in a horizontal plane to clear the inner surface or the container-as-a-whole of soil which might be sticking to such surface, thus enabling soil within the container to be deposited.

In operation it is to be understood that if it is desired to relocate a plant, a hole must first be formed at the place where it is desired to locate the plant. This is accomplished by pressing the container into the ground to the depth desired, applying manual force upon the handles 1 for this purpose. When the container is filled with soil to a sufficient height, the transplanter is lifted bodily by means of the hand grip 13 which will bring the soil to the surface, the same being deposited in a pile by moving the ring ejector I'I downwardly so as to free the soil from the container.

The transplanter is then placed over the plant which is to be relocated and pressed downwardly as in making the original hole. When down to the desired depth, the transplanter is raised with the plant safely inside th container and transferred to the original hole made to receive it. The transplanter is placed over the hole and the ejector depressed which will cause the plant and the soil adhering to same to fall into thehole,

' after which the surface soil will be tamped. level.

It will be noted in the accompanying drawing that the container tapers somewhat, the edges l8 of the parts 2 and 3 being slightly angulated with respect to, and converging downwardly towards the outer extremities of the curvature l9.

However, such extremities of curvature may extend parallel with the edges l8 if desired, but it is to be noted that the container as a whole is capable of being tapered towards the bottom in either form of construction, since the two parts 2 and 3 are only connected by means of the pins which are located at the pivot points 4. Thus, holes of greater or smaller area may be made.

It is to be understood that the two parts 2 and 3 will overlap in a binding fit so that they are not loose, and the act of making the container smaller at the bottom edge will be accomplished by pressing downwardly on one of the handles 1 and moving the rod I2 away from it as I have indicated by means of the arrows 2!] and 2|. When it is desired to increase the area of the container around the bottom, the two parts will simply be squeezed together around the top edges.

Since many modifications can be made in the invention herein described and since the accompanying drawing has been prepared only to illustrate the relative arrangement and interaction of parts and not with regard to accuracy of dimensions for manufacturing purposes which in view of this disclosure I consider to entail merely mechanical skill together with the skill of the mechanical draftsman, and since many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the same it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense and I desire only such limitations placed thereon as justice dictates.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A transplanter comprising in combination, a container formed of two parts pivotally connected medially of the length thereof and a yoke spanning said container, the arms of said yoke being secured to said container at the points at which the two parts thereof are pivotally connected.

2. A transplanter comprising in combination, an open-ended container formed of two parts pivotally connected'medially of its length, a soil ejector movable within said container, said ejector consisting of a ring extending around the inner surface of said container and adjacent to said surface, means for moving said ring parallel with its axis and a yoke spanning said container, the arms of said yoke being secured to the points at which the two parts of said container are pivotally connected.

3. A transplanter comprising in combination, an open-ended container formed of two parts pivotally connected medially of its length, a. soil ejector movable within said container, said ejector consisting of a ring extending around the inner surface thereof adjacent to said surface, a yoke spanning said container, the arms of said yoke being secured to the points at which the two parts of said container are pivotally connected, and another yoke also spanning said container, the arms of said last mentioned yoke being secured at diametrically opposite points upon said rin to provide means for moving said ring parallel with it axis and within said container.

4. A transplanter comprising in combination, an open-ended container formed of two parts pivotally connected medially of its length, a soil ejector movable within said container, said ejector consisting of a ring extending around the inner surface thereof adjacent to said surface, a yoke spanning said container, the arms of said yoke being secured to the points at which the two parts of said container are pivotally connected, and another yoke also spanning said container but along in a vertical plane at right angles to the vertical plane of said first mentioned yoke, the arms of said last mentioned yoke being secured at diametrically opposite points upon said ring to provide means for moving said ring parallel with its axis and within said container.

5. The transplanter as defined in claim 3 which includes a handle in the form of a rod D. RUPERT PREECE. 

